Amaryllis - NOT amateur radio

Our son and daughter-in-law gave us an amaryllis for Christmas, which we potted in early January. After a slow start, it has shot up and will probably be in flower in the next week. There are 2 flower heads, one looks ahead of the other.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaryllis .

10m WSPR

I have been on the band for about 15 minutes. So far, no spots given or received but it is still very early. TX is 2W 20% and I am on RX 80%.

UPDATE 1120z:  Still no spots on 10m yet today.

UPDATE 1328z:  KD0VWO (7412km) monitoring in Brazil has spotted me 6 times already on 10m WSPR. There is also some GDX with G0LUJ (278km) spotted. Not a bad start on a 10m band where the forecast was "poor". The lesson is, yet again, 10m is open more than you may think.

UPDATE 1406z:  These are the 10m WSPR spots today so far. ON7KO (295km) could be aircraft assisted tropo or pure tropo.

UPDATE 2010z:   Even more short-skip (Es?) this teatime on 10m WSPR in the form of SP5TWA (1302km) and YL2GL (1747km). Short-skip has been very good on 10m WSPR this winter.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Feb 3rd 2016

Solar flux today is 103 and sunspot number 52 (K=2). 10m propagation is forecast to be "poor" again today. Yesterday the band was brought to life by a lot of short-skip, which I think was wintertime Es. I am again on 10m WSPR today.

2m UKAC contest this evening

2000-2230z tonight is the second leg of the RSGB's 2m activity contest. I missed this last month still thinking we were in December! All being well, I shall be on 2m SSB (5W to the omni big-wheel) this evening. Because of my poor voice, 1 hour is about enough for me. I usually manage 5-10 QSOs with best DX 150-200km. At this time of the year there are fewer portable stations. I cannot blame them! These are very friendly contests which are aimed at focusing activity.

If you come on, you are almost bound to work someone, unless you are on some remote Scottish island. If you have 50-100W and a small beam, the whole of the UK is in range. Even with my QRP set-up, it is a bundle of fun.  I shall be using the FT817ND at 5W. Activity levels are usually good in these sessions. Even if you don't send a score in, it is a good way to work new squares (and maybe new countries) on 2m.

Next week is the 70cm leg.

Logs can be transcribed on line. If you are like me and usually work 5-10 stations only, this only takes a few minutes.

UPDATE 2130z:  I had to give up after about an hour as my voice was finding it very hard. Although I worked only 4 stations, I heard stations in France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, as well as stations on the Welsh borders. Most of the strong locals I usually work were not on and one was on but using "pounce and capture" so I never did manage to work them (G2XV). An enjoyable experience but another 10dB of power and 6dB of extra antenna gain would have made it a lot easier! My best DX was the Isle of Wight (216km).

Stations worked on 2m with 5W SSB and big-wheel this evening

10m short-skip (wintertime Es?)

Yet again, plenty of short-skip European stations on  10m WSPR today. This is probably wintertime Es, although we are moving into February now and the peak is usually December and January. I guess this could be back-scatter although the distance suggests Es as does the restricted a rea affected. If back-scatter I'd have expected a much wider spread geographically of stations.

UPDATE 1716z:  Still plenty of 10m short-skip, although no DX spotted here on 10m WSPR, unlike recent days. I think my antenna could be far better on 10m.

UPDATE 1838z:  SP5TWA (1303km) was spotted as late as 1836z on 10m WSPR. I shall stay on 10m WSPR until the 2m UKAC at 2000z, maybe later.

Unique 10m WSPR spots today - Es?

UPDATE 1930z:  HA9AL (1455km) is still coming in on 10m WSPR. This must be Es. He was still coming in at 1940z. I suspect 6m will have opened to central Europe too during the day, although I am not on that band currently.

BOF - NOT amateur radio

On Mondays I travel into and out of Cambridge on the bus. As a boring old f**t (BOF) I have a new hobby - "like" spotting. A teenage girl got on the bus and she said "like" 52 times in 2 miles. As a BOF I said nothing, you know what I mean like.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Feb 2nd 2016

Solar flux is 99 today with sunspot number 42 (K=2). 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor" although Australia has been possible on the last 2 days here on 10m despite a "poor" forecast!

QSYed to 60m WSPR

At around 2045z I QSYed again to 60m WSPR. Most spots have been by Europeans although a few minutes ago I was spotted by KK1D (5409km) at 2210z. Up to now, no stations have been spotted here this evening. I am staying on 60m overnight and hope for some more DX. KK1D is in the south of New England,  USA.

UPDATE 2244z:    I have been spotted by KK1D again on 60m WSPR.

Australia again on 10m WSPR

VK2KRR (16789km) was spotted here this morning along with many Europeans by short-skip. Yet again, 10m DX is coming through. Never give up on 10m.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Feb 1st 2016

Solar flux is 100 and sunspot number 39 (K=3) today. 10m forecast for propagation remains "poor".  So far, just one OH spotted on 10m WSPR today.